Download Malaria Parasites Handout part 1

Ecological Parasitology
Lab 5: Malaria parasites
Classification:
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Kingdom: Chromalveolata (descendents of endosymbiosis of
red algae and bi-flagellate)
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Haemosporidia
3 main genera: Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon,
Haemoproteus
Life cycle stages:
Sporozoites: infective stage, passed from vector to vertebrate host
Trophozoite: feeding stage, in cells of vertebrate host
Schizont: multi-nucleated stage, asexual replication, in cells of vertebrate host
Merozoite: produced from schizont when it divides, one nucleus, invades new
vertebrate host cells, develops into trophozoite
Gametocyte: sexual cell, male and female, passed from vertebrate host to vector,
produces gametes in vector which combine to form zygote
Ookinete: mobile stage, penetrates the midgut wall of vector
Oocyst: on midgut wall of vector, asexual replication occurs within it, produces
thousands of sporozoites
Today’s Parasites
Species
Notes
Plasmodium falciparum See back
P. malariae
See back
P. vivax
See back
P. azurophilium
Parasite of Carribean lizards,
infects red and white blood
cells
Parasite of African lizards,
huge gametocytes and
schizonts
Parasites of birds, vectored by
black flies and midges,
schizogony in liver
Parasites of birds, vectored by
Hippoboscid fly, schizogony
in tissues
P. giganteum
Leucocytozoon
Haemoproteus
Label
Troph, gametocyte, RBC
Troph, schizont, gametocyte,
RBC, WBC
Describe thick smear, label
gametocyte, trophozoite, RBC
Life cycle stage of all
parasites visible, RBC, WBC
Gametocyte, schizont, RBC
Gametocyte, normal RBC,
infected RBC
Gametocyte, RBC